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The identity of the first ever computer, as we now understand the term, is well known among computer enthusiasts. That computer is the SSEM - the Small-Scale Experimental Machine - [...]

Everyone realises that today's computers are the result of many years of development and that the first computers were remarkably primitive by comparison. And, over the years, we've looked at [...]

The concept of the key length of a cryptographic system is familiar. A 128-bit key is commonly used today in a symmetrical cipher, because it's considered that a brute force [...]

Although the Sinclair ZX80 is commonly thought of as the machine that kick-started the '80s home computer boom in the UK, an earlier machine may have also played a part, [...]

The Sinclair ZX80 went on sale in 1980 at [pounds sterling]99.95, or [pounds sterling]79.95 in kit form. In so doing, it was responsible, in no small part, for kick-starting the [...]

As we saw last month, although analogue computers might seem ancient, they gave digital computers a run for their money until the early '80s. Their particular strength was solving differential [...]

From the pioneering machines of the '40s to the home computers of the '80s, we've put some fascinating computers through their paces via emulation in LXF. But they were all [...]

Here at Linux Format Towers, we're always exploring programming languages, some of which date back to the late '50s but still play important roles today Those venerable languages are Fortran [...]

Following our recent expose of several classic programming languages--most of them largely forgotten or quirky--we delved into Fortran last month. Despite its age, the name is still familiar among coders [...]

When you have a collection of photos running into the thousands, finding what you're looking for can be like seeking the proverbial needle in a haystack. Certainly, storing your photos [...]

When FORTRAN was first conceived, there were barely any high-level languages, and certainly none that became widely known. With such languages now virtually universal, we need to remember that high-level [...]

Traditional photos, by which we mean the prints, negatives or slides produced by the chemical processes that predated digital photography by well over 100 years, can be remarkably resilient. In [...]

The names of programming languages vary from the banal to the accurately descriptive, via the totally meaningless or, in the case of this month's subject, the downright inaccurate. The language [...]

If you're an Ubuntu user, there's a pretty good chance that the word 'focal' will bring to mind Focal Fossa, the code name of the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS release. But [...]

The classic IBM 5110 luggable, as we discovered in LXF291, ran APL, which stands for A Programming Language, yes really. Despite APL--according to the TIOBE index of the popularity of [...]

It has been suggested that creating artwork and computer programming are diametrically opposite. After all, art involves exercising creativity, while coding involves providing a fixed set of instructions that will [...]

Increasingly, one of the most valuable commodities is information. But this isn't just for big business--most of us have data that is valuable in one way or another. So, preserving [...]

WHY DO ASTRONAUTS use Linux? Because you can't open Windows in space. Joking aside, the truth is that the heavens aren't full of Linux computers--but all that could be about [...]

The year is 499BC and Histiaeus tires of his stay in Susa. He conspires to secretly start a revolt in Ionia against the Persians, something that would give him the [...]

Readers interested in programming languages will surely recognise the idea of a language being flavour of the month. However, in the interests of accuracy, we'd have to admit that the [...]

To say that digital technology has revolutionised the world of music is a massive understatement. Starting with the introduction of the audio CD in 1982, and continuing through to today's [...]

Why do astronauts use Linux? Because you can't open Windows in space. Joking aside, the truth is that the heavens aren't full of Linux-toting computers. But all that's changing, so [...]

Our subject here is random numbers, and how to generate them. And to be honest, we wouldn't blame you if you think that sounds as enthralling as watching paint dry. [...]

Photographs of the Earth taken from space are a part of everyday life, appearing on TV and newspaper weather reports. This state of affairs dates back little more than 60 [...]

The article in Linux Format explores the EDSAC, the first practical, universal, stored-program computer to provide regular computing services. It delves into EDSAC's unique form of memory using mercury delay lines and its influence on early computing. The article also provides information on emulators that allow users to experience programming on EDSAC and highlights the legacy of EDSAC, including its impact on the development of the world's first computer used for business applications, the LEO. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Linux Format offers a tutorial on engaging in radio astronomy using a PC audio system and free software. It explains that simple equipment, such as a PC's internal audio system, an antenna, and software, can be used to receive radio signals from the aurora. The article provides instructions on setting up an antenna and discusses the different frequencies in the radio spectrum. It also explores various types of natural VLF signals, such as sferics, tweeks, whistlers, and the auroral chorus. The importance of the PC's audio circuitry or an external soundcard for receiving signals in the higher part of the VLF band and LF band is emphasized. The article suggests using WebSDRs as an alternative option for receiving VLF/ULF signals and provides a list of WebSDRs that cover the VLF band and below. It explains how WebSDRs present signals audibly and visually through a waterfall display. The article mentions software options for processing signals in real time, such as Myriacat, Audacity, VLF Receiver Software Toolkit, and GNU Radio. It concludes by encouraging readers to experiment and explore different solutions and discusses the types of signals that can be heard, including regular sferics and man-made signals. [Extracted from the article]

Discussion about the first ever computer often results in heated debate fuelled, no doubt, by a degree of patriotism, but also by the vagaries of what's meant by 'the first [...]

For many users, a major benefit of single board computers like the Raspberry Pi and Arduino products is the ease by which they can be interfaced to real-world hardware, and [...]